Newb saying Hi [and pics of my layout]

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New Member

Hey, I stumbled across this site while looking for info as I revamp my layout. I've had the set since I was about 6 - so about 15 years.

Anyway, on to the pics!

The basic layout, where most of the action is:

The original engine I got with the original trainset a while back. The powered engine is in the front, dummy in rear:

I know it's blury, but that is the second oldest engine:

The newest engine and its dummy.

view from near the top of the "mountain":

Parts of the army base at the top of the mountain... this is all connected with the core set down below.

To control all this... I can run two engines at once... But all three can be on the layout at once, as I can turn sections off and on.

I recently took off almost everything except for buildings. And all the cars are in one section, as you can see. I'm going to vac the set, and then go about "maturing" it. Prior to this, I had out of scale Hotwheels, etc on there. I'm currently planning out the new phase... I'll take pics as things come about.

Well, it's winter time and I have no garage, so I can't work on the car I'm not sure what else. I think the fact that I have an awesome girlfriend who is interested in model trains as well may have helped. I kinda got an itch, and began looking online and now I got a wicked big itch... Nothing has really been done to the layout since I was about 15 probably... I'm 21 now...

Planned... consolidating road names. Remove the Conrail, etc cars. I've been out of the loop so I did not know BN and ATSF merged, so that will play a part. Maybe change the mini yard I have to handle a few more cars. Scratch build a more realistic miliary base. And I think what I really want to do most is add more realistc background and scenery... add some industry, grass, streets that look like asphalt, etc.

I would also like to add more feet of track. This is in my basement, and even though the basement is large... it is all different rooms, so it will be difficult. I'm thinking maybe make a small hole in the wall [something small, like you would if you were doing plumbing] and run some track along the walls of the room next to the room the current layout is in.

I got lots of plans and ideas. I don't have enough time or cash to do it all at once though. [Damn, I wrote a novella]

Coal Shoveler

You can put your staging or some other yard-type module in the second room. If there's space, you could move all your rolling stock storage there as well; that'll give you more space in the real layout room.

For me, I have a 11x22 section of the basement for the main layout. One wall is the laundry room wall. I plan to cut a couple holes in this wall and put the staging trackage there. I can then move my rolling stock storage containers under this section. Not only will that be convenient, it will get that out of the main train room, giving me more space for the actual layout.

Stay off the tracks!

Note: all of the below is only a suggestion - it's your layout to set up and run as you wish (that's part of the fun!)

One thing you might want to think about is what "year" is your layout. This can help you decide what belongs and what doesn't.
For instance, your Santa Fe Geeps (the blue & yellow ones) are good from the 50s up to the late 70s or even into the 80s, although I suspect they would have been rebuilt with low noses by then. The paint jobs are post-1971, I believe.
The F-units (the 2nd and newest ones) were mostly rebuilt by the Santa Fe between 1970 and 1978 into CF-7s, a much different looking beast. If you have the engine numbrer off the silver & red Santa Fe, you can go to http://rosters.gcrossett.com/atsf/CF7config.htm and see if you can find out when it was rebuilt. I can't tell what railroad your 2nd oldest belongs to.

Right now your engines put you squarely in the midst of the early 1970s per the prototype - so that might have an impact on "when" you want to model. You won't be dealing with doublestacks in that time period, but on a positive note you can still have cabooses on all your trains.

Registered Member

Yep that'll do it, every time!
Hi Nick and thanks for the introduction to your trains. In regards to scenery, if I might suggest some of the links on how to do it by hminky (Harold) make for good reading. http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/search.php?do=finduser&u=2442 And there are lots of posts by other members worth reading that will help you formulate a plan for your layout. So take a little tour through each section, read the posts, and when in doubt about something, just ask, that's what I do.
Cheers Willis

New Member

I'm open to all suggestions. Every suggestion will at least get my brain thinking about something different that I hadn't thought of!

One thing you might want to think about is what "year" is your layout. This can help you decide what belongs and what doesn't.
For instance, your Santa Fe Geeps (the blue & yellow ones) are good from the 50s up to the late 70s or even into the 80s, although I suspect they would have been rebuilt with low noses by then. The paint jobs are post-1971, I believe.

I know the engines are all old. When I first started this I wasn't concerned really with any time period. I just bought or got stuff that I thought was cool or other people thought was cool. In my mind right now I think I would like to model say 1990s to now. I think I want to buy newer, better engines anyway [eventually]... so changing the time period won't be that hard for me. Like you said, it's all for fun, so doing the scenery and laying the new track will be the priority. As long as I have engines that can run I'll be happy

The F-units (the 2nd and newest ones) were mostly rebuilt by the Santa Fe between 1970 and 1978 into CF-7s, a much different looking beast. If you have the engine numbrer off the silver & red Santa Fe, you can go to http://rosters.gcrossett.com/atsf/CF7config.htm and see if you can find out when it was rebuilt.

I need to research what engines were operated when. I'm starting to, and I've found a few good links from this site. edit: The number on the silver SF is 609. The only 609 I found was a different engine... post rebuild maybe? C44-9W was the model.

Right now your engines put you squarely in the midst of the early 1970s per the prototype - so that might have an impact on "when" you want to model. You won't be dealing with doublestacks in that time period, but on a positive note you can still have cabooses on all your trains.

New Member

I shouldn't say she's interested in modelling, so much as she seems interested in my layout and is bummed that she hasn't seen it run yet [the track *needs* to be scrubbed]. In addition to her, I have a little cousin who is always bummed out because the train is never working. I guess both of them kinda gave me motivation.

Hi Nick and thanks for the introduction to your trains. In regards to scenery, if I might suggest some of the links on how to do it by hminky (Harold) make for good reading. http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/search.php?do=finduser&u=2442 And there are lots of posts by other members worth reading that will help you formulate a plan for your layout. So take a little tour through each section, read the posts, and when in doubt about something, just ask, that's what I do.

Lake Shore Lines

the rise i was mentioning would be agains the wall with the darker color boards.

"Tour De chooch" is an open house event held annually the thanksgiving weekend where layouts in Mass and NH open up to the public for viewing. Usually there are at least 5 of the 10 layouts within 10 to 15 minutes from the wakefield area.

New Member

I still don't understand... you mean redo the one that is there? For that, I'm not going to go too nuts. I"ll have my girlfriend paint a background to put back there, but that's about it. You can't really get close to there anyway.

"Tour De chooch" is an open house event held annually the thanksgiving weekend where layouts in Mass and NH open up to the public for viewing. Usually there are at least 5 of the 10 layouts within 10 to 15 minutes from the wakefield area.

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